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Concert Review: Halsey’s ‘Badlands Tour’

“You can’t wake up, this is not a dream;you’re part of a machine, you are not a human being;with your face all made up, living on a screen;low on self esteem, so you run on gasoline.”

I walked into Halsey’ssecond Sydney show with extremely high expectations. I walked out amazed and flabbergasted. Halsey truly is a star whose light transcends the stage.

Playing to a sold-out room at Sydney’s Metro Theatre, the 21-year-old performed to a screaming, sing-a-long crowd of 3,000 over the course of two days. And, she didn’t disappoint in the slightest.

Over the course of a year, I have been listening to Halsey on repeat. Her vehement lyrics really resonate with me and my anxious mind. As a result, I was given the opportunity to meet the songstress which I accepted with open arms.

With only 100 meet and greet passes available, I was lucky enough to snatch one up. Fast forward a week and I found myself in the presence of my favourite singer. It truly was a ‘pinch me’ moment.

As soon as I saw her, she extended her arms with a massive smile on her face and gave me the biggest bear hug. I made sure she understood what an impact her album Badlands has had on my life and how appreciative I am of her contribution to the music industry.

She then asked me: “What’s your name?” to which I replied “Jenna”. She jumped up and down, saying “Really? There’s Jenna [pointing to her best friend, Jenna Berrol]. Oh my god! I love Jenna’s!” She gave me another hug and asked me what pose I wanted for our photo. I was literally speechless and stupidly asked her to choose a cute one, which she happily obliged. After the photo, she gave me yet another hug, holding me tight. “I love you, okay? You enjoy yourself and remember that I love you!” At that point, I was shaking so much and gave her – yep, you guessed it! – another hug!

Following this surreal experience, I made sure I was at the front of the mosh pit for the concert. Like any show, I met some absolutely lovely people who made sure I was feeling okay during the show.

The opening act – BØRNS – were perfect. Lead singer Garrett Borns and his charming backing instrumentalists got the crowd moving to their alternative beat. Even though I had never previously listened to them, I downloaded their music as soon as I got home. Now that’s saying something!

At 9:15, the lights dimmed, a familiar tune played and the smoke slowly materialised into our pop icon, Halsey.

Yes, I’ll admit it – my review is highly biased. In all honesty, this was one of the most incredible concerts I have ever been to. From her pitch perfect vocals to her words of wisdom, Halsey put on a show of a lifetime. Her performance encapsulated the haunting and intoxicating production elements embedded within Badlands, which is to be highly commended. You wouldn’t believe that a tiny, 21-year-old would be able to have as much stage presence as Halsey. She knows how to entertain and consequently please a crowd, while simultaneously delivering inspirational messages of hope.

The highlights were her beautiful rendition of her hit song ‘Ghost’ (a cappella!) which she invited the audience to participate in. During ‘Drive’, she also requested we all hold up our phone torches and sway along to the music. Looking around the crowd, each and every person was completely immersed in the song and the intrinsic electricity binding us all together. Oh, and don’t forget Halsey jumping into the audience during ‘Is There Somewhere’. Now, that’s an unforgettable performance!

In all honesty, words do not do Halsey’s Badlands tour justice. You really do need to experience it for yourself. You have to. Just do it … because I just want to go again*. Go get your tickets now. I’m watching you. Go!